Should Australis A be granted test status?

[Eclipse]

Mushtaq Ahmed, Danish Kaneria, Anil Kumble...

hmmm.. prehaps McGill is not in very good form.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Yeah right so how come no one can even come close to beating us.

That's just plain arrogance! Australia is not unbeatable...not by any means. This is clearly demonstrated by their dominance on the subcontinent and of course their miraculous defence of 400odd against a young, lowly ranked WI team.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Rampakash
Hick

Why the hell are these two in there? It's all well and good that you would want experience in the A team, but one experienced player is enough - Thorpe. These two will not offer anything to England in the future, so why are they playing in what should essentially be a developmental squad?

 

[Eclipse]

That's just plain arrogance! Australia is not unbeatable...not by any means. This is clearly demonstrated by their dominance on the subcontinent and of course their miraculous defence of 400odd against a young, lowly ranked WI team.

No it's not It is the truth. I never ment to say we were unbeatable.

I ment it to say "no one has even come close"

And Thats the truth apart from that series In India two years ago NO ONE HAS COME CLOSE TO BEATING US in a series.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

McGrath is more than good enough on flat pitches

I disagree to an extent. IMO McGrath has been good on flat pitches over the course of his career, but is not at the moment. He seems to have lost the pace to trouble top-class batsmen on a truly flat wicket - sort of like Pollock. That said, he certainly isn't over-rated and, if he gets anything out of the wicket, he is very dangerous.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

No it's not It is the truth. I never said we were unbeatable I just said.
"Yeah right so how come no one can even come close to beating us"
Thats the truth apart from that series In India two years ago NO ONE HAS COME CLOSE TO BEATING US in a series.

You never stated that you were referring to a series. Those three words change the entire context of the argument, so you can't just assume that people realize that you were referring to a series. In any case, New Zealand comes to mind.....

 

[Eclipse]

I disagree to an extent. IMO McGrath has been good on flat pitches over the course of his career, but is not at the moment. He seems to have lost the pace to trouble top-class batsmen on a truly flat wicket - sort of like Pollock. That said, he certainly isn't over-rated and, if he gets anything out of the wicket, he is very dangerous.

Agreed but McGrath has been in poor form. I am sure he will get back to his best and that lack of penitration will disipate. He is still really fit and helthy so I see know reason why not.

 

[Eclipse]

You never stated that you were referring to a series. Those three words change the entire context of the argument, so you can't just assume that people realize that you were referring to a series. In any case, New Zealand comes to mind.....

Fair enough.

New Zealand never looked in that series though but wether and some great Indervidual performances did give them a chance of taking the last test & the series agreed.

I was just objecting to the fact full_length or who ever was trying to tell me Australia were only slightly bettrer than the rest of the other teams. I would disagree with that and was trying to ilistrate that we have more or less thrashed every one we have come up against.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Australia are largely better than the other teams in the world currently and have been for the last 5 or 6 years. However, I think that, with their reluctance to expose youngsters, they will fall back to mortal level soon.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Agreed but McGrath has been in poor form. I am sure he will get back to his best and that lack of penitration will disipate. He is still really fit and helthy so I see know reason why not.

I agree. As in tennis or any sport, once you are fit, your game improves almost seamlessly. For example, IMO Lara is fit for the first time in the last 3 or 4 years...look at the results.

 

[Eclipse]

Australia are largely better than the other teams in the world currently and have been for the last 5 or 6 years. However, I think that, with their reluctance to expose youngsters, they will fall back to mortal level soon.

Yeah I agree I wish the selectors would bite the bullet and give some kids a go.

On the other hand it is hard because everyone is still performing so it's going to be hard to dump a senior player when they are still doing well.

 

[Eclipse]

I agree. As in tennis or any sport, once you are fit, your game improves almost seamlessly. For example, IMO Lara is fit for the first time in the last 3 or 4 years...look at the results.

Yep I fully agree and may I just say Lara is a bloody legend the guy IMO is probably the most talented batsman in the world. It appears that way when you see him play.

I think West Indies are in really good shape for the future I love the look of there young batsman I know Australia would die to have Gayle or Sarwan comming through.

 

[marc71178]

I dont really care what you say any half decent test side should be able to beat state sides & PM X1 ect.. wether they are trying there hardest or not & I doubt England were taking them that lightly.

Still not the same as a Test match - a non-full strength side for a start.

 

[Top_Cat]

I disagree to an extent. IMO McGrath has been good on flat pitches over the course of his career, but is not at the moment. He seems to have lost the pace to trouble top-class batsmen on a truly flat wicket - sort of like Pollock.

You're referring to one series in which he played only two Tests, if I've not got my wires crossed. Considering his series' against England (19 wickets at 20.00) and Pakistan (14 wickets at 10.75) were his most recent series other than the WI series, don't you think you're being a tad harsh on him? He didn't bowl outstandingly well for those two Tests (after suffering back here with his wife as they waited to see whether she is going to live and being far from in top physical shape) and suddenly "He seems to have lost the pace to trouble top-class batsmen on a truly flat wicket"?

You ARE kidding, right?

If two Tests in a series were all we needed to judge a player on, Curtly Ambrose's first two Tests of virtually every series he'd played in since 1991 show him to be a pretty ordinary bowler. Of course this is not the case, as is judging McGrath a lesser bowler on what we saw in the Carribean, don't you think?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

You're referring to one series in which he played only two Tests, if I've not got my wires crossed. Considering his series' against England (19 wickets at 20.00) and Pakistan (14 wickets at 10.75) were his most recent series other than the WI series

I am referring to the times I have seen him bowl on flat wickets.

He didn't bowl outstandingly well for those two Tests (after suffering back here with his wife as they waited to see whether she is going to live and being far from in top physical shape) and suddenly "He seems to have lost the pace to trouble top-class batsmen on a truly flat wicket"?

You can't tell me that McGrath hasn't lost pace. He's generally in the high 70's to low 80's. The ranked #1 bowler in the world, Pollock, bowls in the same range and even Walsh and Ambi lost pace later in their career. McGrath has his accuracy, but aside from lack of concentration, how can he really trouble batsmen on flat wickets?

You ARE kidding, right?

No, I am not.

If two Tests in a series were all we needed to judge a player on, Curtly Ambrose's first two Tests of virtually every series he'd played in since 1991 show him to be a pretty ordinary bowler. Of course this is not the case, as is judging McGrath a lesser bowler on what we saw in the Carribean, don't you think?

That's a totally irrelevant statement. I was never referring to just two Tests. You assumed it and I'd appreciate if you would get your facts straight before going all defensive.

 

[age_master]

Mcgrath is the best pace bowler in teh world, a class above everyne else, his accuracy, pace and bounce will continue to get batsmen out for a feew years yet

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

What pace? His accuracy will continue to get batsmen out for years to come. I never said that McGrath is a crappy bowler. I said that he's not as quick as he used to be and that he will generally struggle on flat wickets.

Mcgrath is the best pace bowler in teh world

That's debatable. He's certainly in the top 2 or 3.

 

[Eclipse]

Still not the same as a Test match - a non-full strength side for a start.

Yeah well obvously it's going to be pritty hard for them to have test match intensity for these matches I am not suggesting that.

But still a state or representitive side should not be taken lighlty because they are importaint in getting players into form and getting a winning environment going.

 

[Eclipse]

What pace? His accuracy will continue to get batsmen out for years to come. I never said that McGrath is a crappy bowler. I said that he's not as quick as he used to be and that he will generally struggle on flat wickets.

No he is not as quick as he used to be but he is as quick as he has been for the last 3-4 years he was never that fast.

His avrage speed over the last few years is about 136kph and thats still his avrage speed.

it's not like his speed has droped off over the last year or so.

 

[Tim]

I think McGrath has decided to do what Richard Hadlee did.

Drop his pace & run-up and just concentrate on bowling the same line & length ball after ball.